Haeret Lateri Lethalis Arundo
by Bottou-chan
Summary: In college, Recca must woo Yanagi back to himself.
1. Haeret Lateri Lethalis Arundo

  

**Haeret Lateri Lethalis Arundo **

**Chapter One   
[Bottou-chan][1]**

[**My Page**][2]

For shame! deny that thou bear'st love to any,   
Who for thyself art so unprovident.   
Grant, if thou wilt, thou art beloved of many,   
But that thou none lovest is most evident;   
For thou art so possess'd with murderous hate   
That 'gainst thyself thou stick'st not to conspire.   
Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate   
Which to repair should be thy chief desire.   
O, change thy thought, that I may change my mind!   
Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?   
Be, as thy presence is, gracious and kind,   
Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove:   
Make thee another self, for love of me,   
That beauty still may live in thine or thee. 

* * *

  
Yanagi shut the book gently. Such complex words... yet when it was boiled down to its essence, Shakespeare always managed to hit the nail on the head. The poem reminded her very much of some people she had encountered a few years before, when she was still in high school... Funny, it seemed so far away now. Like that part of her life had existed in another world. She had been in high school at the time. Now, she and Recca and the others were at Tokyo University.  
  
It hadn't been much of a surprise to anyone that she had decided to major in children's education, with a minor in Literature. She wished to become a grade-school teacher. Getting into the University had never been an issue for her; her family was well-off and could afford the tuition, not to mention her grades throughout high school had been exemplary. Yanagi had always been good at book-knowledge, although it wasn't until she had met up with Recca-tachi that she had managed to grow and learn about the other parts of life.  
  
Recca had barely squeaked into school. There had been some financial question about Shigeo's ability to fund the hours. But he worked a part-time job at a car wash, and was taking the minimum number of hours. It had been a surprise to everyone that he had managed to pass the entrance exam, but he had squeaked by-- with the help of Yanagi's tender tutoring and Fuuko's not-so-tender tutoring.  
  
_Recca-kun..._ she thought happily, putting the book in her backpack. She wished she could share the sonnet with him. Maybe it would make him think of his brother, Kurei, too. She had a mental image of Recca's sister-in-law Neon murmuring the poem to Kurei over a dinner with roses and candles and stars. Now, those two had made a good couple, after they had put Mori Kouran behind them. Neon had done him good, and had brought out another side of Kurei which none of the Hokage had expected to find.  
  
_Recca-kun..._ But realistically speaking, the poem would go right over his head. She didn't really see Recca giving *her* such a dinner. His rough-and-tumble, blunt, open attitude which had endeared him to her in the beginning still didn't have much room in it to exist happily alongside violin music and murmured endearments. Recca still wasn't very good at expressing his emotions. He wasn't very eloquent, and he wasn't very good at being encased in suit and tie.  
  
And yet she loved him.  
  
She had loved him all these years. When she had begun, she had no idea... it was a state of being which she had only gradually recognized. There was something about just thinking of him which added a sparkle to her eye, or a spring to her step. Knowing that she would see him later in the day made her want to look her best to make him proud of her. It made her heart swell with joy to do little things for him, like tidy his dorm room when she visited, or make him dinner in her apartment she shared with Fuuko.  
  
And he loved her, too. He had given up his Flame Dragons to save her, way back in those days which were just a memory. She was his princess, and he had sworn to protect her. He was still her ninja. Now that they were older, it made her giggle that he still kept up his game, and that he still used his pet name for her-- Hime.  
  
And yet... a part of her heart ached. Whenever she had found a lovely sonnet in the course of her English Literature class, and she had rushed to share it with him-- it had not evoked the same feelings in him. He had nodded dutifully, smiling-- but his eyes were glazed. He'd tell her it was a good poem, and would she like to go out for a frozen yogurt? When she would tell him about an interesting teaching technique they had covered in class, he'd nod enthusiastically and then tell her how ninja techniques were so much better. It was like they spoke two languages.  
  
And yet she loved him.  
  
His enthusiasm and his trying-to-understand made up for it. She was disappointed, and it made her heart ache that they couldn't connect on a deeper, intellectual level, but his efforts made her laugh and forgive him for not being the same as her. He had put up with her when she had been timid and he had been bold. He had put up with her when she had been shy and he had been aggressive. He had put up with her when she had been weak and he had been strong. It was as though they had always been opposite... and their very opposite natures complemented each other.  
  
_Recca-kun..._  
  
Her elbow knocked her pencil onto the floor, and she leaned over to get it. As she did so, she caught a blur of movement out of the corner of her eye as a pair passed by her desk.  
  
"Recca-kun, you're so knowledgable!" said an admiring voice.  
  
She heard Recca's voice laughing cheerfully. The cheerful laugh she knew so well. "I'm just glad you did well on the test, that's all. I think that studying with you helped me more than it did you."  
  
"Oh, no," said the voice. Definitely feminine. Yanagi peered over the top of the carrell and could see a girl with long blue hair smiling at her Recca-kun as they walked away. She was latched on to his arm, and he was ruffling his fingers through his hair. Modesty? Embarassment? "You're so good at English, and I'm not. C'mon, I'll take you to the frozen yogurt place. My treat. We can take my car."  
  
"Sure, then," said Recca. He was never a one to pass up on the opportunity for extra dessert in one day.  
  
The two disappeared around a corner, and Yanagi slumped back into her seat. She dropped the pencil into her backpack.  
  
She had always been a jealous girl, and yet the day Recca had given up his dragons for her was the day that she had stopped. If he could give up such an intrinsic part of himself for her-- there was no way she could be jealous! And yet, seeing him together with the girl caused doubt to spring up in her mind. She loved Recca, but even her love didn't blind her to the fact that her Recca wasn't the most scholarly person in the world. His English was deplorable, even, and he was barely passing the class. He even came to her for English tutoring-- how could he possibly be sought out as a tutor in his own right?  
  
There was something deeper to that pair. Was it entirely one-sided, or was Recca responding to her interest? Was he curious? Was he on the prowl for someone new? He had never told her about this, and he was one to share everything.  
  
Or so she thought.  
  
Her mind was a turmoil as she slung her backpack over her shoulder and walked towards the opposite exit. 

   [1]: mailto:koganeikaoru@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/recca.htm



	2. Default Chapter Title

  

**Haeret Lateri Lethalis Arundo **

**Chapter Two   
[Bottou-chan][1]**

[**My Page**][2]

"Her name is Iseki Tomomi. He told me I was overreacting," said Yanagi. She calmly sipped her hot chocolate, but Fuuko could tell she was disturbed. They had been sitting in one of the local coffeeshops for the last hour, and the two girls had been examining the situation from every angle.

"That's the problem with Recca," said Fuuko firmly. "He's way too innocent to tell when a girl's set and determined to get him."

"Get him?" squeaked Yanagi, her eyes wide.

Fuuko nodded, her eyes fierce. "Yeah. He probably thinks she's trying to be 'just friends', when in fact it's probably some plot to get him when he's alone and his defenses are down and he's not expecting anything and—" Her voice trailed off as she watched Yanagi's eyes go wider and wider, until they were at the very widest she could humanly manage. 

"Maybe she _does_****just want to be friends," suggested Yanagi doubtfully.

"Someone who wants to just be friends won't lie about someone else's prowess in a course they, to be frank, stink at. Someone who just wants to be friends won't need to have their hands surgically removed from someone else's arm. Someone who just wants to be friends won't coo adoringly about how knowledgeable our baka-Recca is."

"But Recca-kun said it would be all right, that I was worrying over nothing," persisted Yanagi.

"It's not Recca you need to worry about, it's Tomomi," corrected Fuuko, stirring her latte and nodding sagely. "She's got a bad track record. She does this kind of thing all the time."

"But Recca-kun and I have been together for years. Why would she want to go after him?" pursued Yanagi.

"Like that matters to her," said Fuuko scornfully. "Yanagi, not everyone's as nice as you are. There are mean people out there."

"I guess I just don't want to press the issue," said Yanagi reluctantly. "Maybe, it'll just go away by itself."

"But if you don't address the issue, it might become more than you want to manage," warned Fuuko, jabbing her spoon in the air at Yanagi's nose.

"Recca-kun said it will be all right," said Yanagi firmly. "So I trust him." She stood up. "Gomen, but I have to go to my literature club meeting in fifteen minutes. I'll see you at the apartment tonight, okay?" 

"Okay," said Fuuko. "Have fun." She waved cheerily at her departing friend, but her smile faded into a pensive look as she gazed thoughtfully at a black and white poster tacked to the opposite wall. Finally, she seemed to come to a decision. She rummaged around in her backpack and dug out her cell phone. A quick dial—a few rings--- 

"Moshi moshi," came a voice on the other end. 

"Ah, Mi-chan," said Fuuko. "Can you come over to the coffeeshop? There's something I want to talk to you about." 

* * *

Half an hour later, Mikagami was seated across from Fuuko, a look of disapproval on his face. "I told Recca, if he ever hurts Yanagi—" 

"And that's just it," interrupted Fuuko. "He doesn't know what he's setting himself up for. He can't see it coming. Even Yanagi can see it coming, but she doesn't want to upset Recca by doing anything." 

Mikagami touched the back of his neck absentmindedly. It had become an unconscious gesture on his part ever since he had cut off his long hair, when he had avenged his sister's death. It was as though he half expected to feel the silver ponytail still there. 

"Yanagi might care about upsetting Recca, but I'm not burdened by such concerns," he finally said. "What exactly do you have in mind, and how can I help?"

   [1]: mailto:koganeikaoru@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/recca.htm



	3. Default Chapter Title

  

**Haeret Lateri Lethalis Arundo **

**Chapter Three   
[Bottou-chan][1]**

[**My Page**][2]

Fuuko sat perched on a pile of tires as she watched Domon energetically buffing the wax on a car. Like Recca, he too worked part-time at the car wash to put himself through school. His mother had made him major in business so he would be better prepared to take over the family floral shop when he graduated.

"Recca went out for lunch," said Domon, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "He's been out for nearly an hour by now." 

"Oh, really?" asked Fuuko. "I thought he brought his lunch because he can't afford to eat out too often. What's he doing today?" 

"There was some cutie who pulled up and spirited him away," said Domon, looking a bit forlorn that the aforementioned cutie hadn't included him in the spiriting-away process. 

"Ah, really. What's her name?" asked Fuuko, leaning forward intently. 

"Tomoe, Tomomo, Tomomi, something like that," shrugged Domon. "Really cute blue hair, though." He wiped his fingers on his shirt. "I've got my lunch break coming up, Fuuko-chan… you wanna go get a hamburger?" 

Fuuko thought about it. On the one hand, it would be encouraging Domon. Even through all the years, he had still kept up his pursuit of her. Now, though, it was more joking than serious. It was as though he was reluctant to give up the schtick… and Fuuko would have felt strange if he had ever completely abandoned her. 

"You wish," she replied sharply, and they both grinned at each other. "Maybe, though," she amended. It depended on how much information she felt she could worm out of Domon. 

A sleek, shiny red sportscar pulled up to the carwash, and one happy, well-fed-looking Recca tumbled out. 

"It was good!" he called to the driver. "We'll have to have lunch again sometime!" 

A sunglassed Tomomi honked in reply. "Tomorrow, then!" she shouted through the open passenger-side window. Another honk, and she pulled back into the traffic. 

Fuuko peered over Recca's shoulder and watched the departing Tomomi as she merged into the flow of cars. "Back from your date so late?" she cooed in his ear. 

Recca jumped, swatting at his ear. He hadn't seen Fuuko at all. "It's not a date!" he exclaimed. "I helped a friend of mine study for her test, and so we had lunch together. But it's not a date! You know I've got Hime!" 

"I know you've got Hime; and she knows you've got Hime; but do you think she cares?" purred Fuuko calmly. "You're just encouraging the girl, Recca." 

"It's not a date!" protested Recca. 

"Who paid for the food?" persisted Fuuko. 

"Well, I did—" 

"Both of them?" 

"Well, yeah, both of 'em—" 

"That sounds like a date to me—" 

"My dad would kill me if I made a girl pay for her own stuff," said Recca. "He taught me better than that." 

"I don't know; I've watched Yanagi pay for you before," countered Fuuko. 

"And I paid for Yanagi— she wanted it to be like that," reminded Recca. 

"No, the way I remember the conversation was going went something like, 'Oh, I only have enough money for one sundae. It can be yours, Hime.' 'Oh, no, Recca-kun, why don't I buy you one, and you can buy me one, then?' 'Okay, Hime!' " corrected Fuuko. 

"So I was low on cash that week," growled Recca. "Geeze, Fuuko, what are you getting on my case for? I just went out with a friend for lunch. It's no big deal."

"It's a big deal to Yanagi. She's worried about Tomomi, and her relationship to you," said Fuuko calmly.

"Tomomi's just…. Tomomi. She's a friend," said Recca. "No one could ever replace Hime." 

::He looks so sincere:: thought Fuuko, smiling slightly. "But Tomomi isn't satisfied with keeping your friendship at a just-friends level," she said aloud. "She's not like that. And by going out on these little lunch-dates or dessert-dates with her, you're not doing anything to tell her that you're a taken man." 

Recca scowled at her. "You don't know anything about it, Fuuko," he said bluntly. "You're making assumptions and reading things into the situation that don't really exist. Go mind your own business. I have to get back to work." He stormed back into the carwash shed. 

Fuuko gazed after the departing ex-Flame-master in satisfaction. Turning to her nose-ringed friend who had watched the exchange in silence, she said, "Say, Domon… about those hamburgers you were talking about earlier. They sound really good right now."

   [1]: mailto:koganeikaoru@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/recca.htm



	4. Default Chapter Title

  

**Haeret Lateri Lethalis Arundo **

**Chapter Four   
[Bottou-chan][1]**

[**My Page**][2]

Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea,  
But sad mortality o'er-sways their power,  
How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea,  
Whose action is no stronger than a flower?  
O, how shall summer's honey breath hold out  
Against the wreckful siege of battering days,  
When rocks impregnable are not so stout,  
Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?  
O fearful meditation! where, alack,  
Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?  
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?  
Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?  
O, none, unless this miracle have might,  
That in black ink my love may still shine bright.

* * *

Yanagi closed her eyes and listened to his voice. It was the literature club meeting, andAtshushi had an exquisite voice. The words rolled rhythmically forth, and he seemed to imbue them with meaning. 

It was always a pleasure to listen to his poetry readings. 

She applauded with the others, and he bowed slightly and took a seat in the empty chair next to Yanagi. She smiled at him, and he grinned back. As a green-haired girl stood up to recite the next piece, he leaned over and whispered, "You looked like you enjoyed it." 

"You read so well. Shakesepeare's always a favorite of mine… I love it. 'Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea'… 'Against the wreckful siege of battering days'… 'Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid'… 'That in black ink my love may still shine bright'… it paints such lovely mental pictures," Yanagi whispered back. As the girl's clear voice rang out to recite an original piece, she turned away and gazed dutifully to the front of the room. 

Atshushi watched Yanagi silently, before refocusing his attention on the speaker. 

~later~ 

Later, when they broke for refreshments, Atshushi sought out Yanagi to speak with her further. The subject of false loves in poetry cropped up, and soon, they were engaged in a lively debate over Shakespeare's 138th sonnet and its nuances. Yanagi's eyes flashed with enthusiasm as they bantered and discussed the finer points. Atshushi knew his subject, and made references to other sonnets, the opinions of Shakespearean scholars, and how his opinions were backed up by details about Shakespeare's life. Yanagi expertly countered his thoughts in her gentle voice, citing other sonnets, other scholars' opinions, and other biographical details. In short, the meeting went by all too quickly, and they stuck around until late into the night, talking and munching on cookies they have ferreted away when the others had left. The conversation continued into the personal, reverted back to the literary, and became personal once more. It was midnight before Yanagi thought to look at her watch, and he offered to give her a ride back to her apartment. He dropped her off, but not before he had extracted a promise to meet with her for dinner the next evening. 

"You look happy," said Fuuko, eyeing Yanagi critically as she came into the apartment. 

"Oh! Did I wake you?" worried Yanagi, who had done her best to be quiet. 

"Oh, no, I was doing my homework," said Fuuko. "Your meeting went late today." 

Yanagi smiled happily. "I had a wonderful time. There's this guy I know, Atshushi, who I've never really spoken to before… but tonight I did, and we had a fabulous time. You know, suddenly, I'm not worried about Recca-kun and Tomomi." She shrugged her jacket off and hung it in the closet. "It's perfectly possible to be very good close friends with someone of the opposite sex, and it's no big deal at all." She yawned and stretched. "I've got an eight o'clock tomorrow, though, so I'll tell you about it later." 

"Sounds good," said Fuuko, hiding her own pleased smile. She watched as Yanagi pattered off to bed. 

~the next evening~ 

"Hey, Fuuko, is Hime there?" asked Recca. 

"Nope, she's out," said Fuuko, twining the phone cord between her fingers. "I'll tell her you called." 

~half an hour later~ 

"Hey, Fuuko, is Hime there?" 

"Nope, she's still out. I'll tell her you called." 

~fifteen minutes later~ 

"Hey, Fuuko, is Hime there?" 

"Nope. Still out. Do you want to leave a message?" 

"Nah, I'm okay." 

"I'll tell her you called." 

~forty-five minutes later~ 

"Fuuko?" 

"Sorry. Still out." 

"Rats." 

~half an hour later~ 

"Hime?" 

"Nope, this is Fuuko. She's still out." 

"When did she leave?" 

"Umm… about six-thirty." 

"It's ten now! Maybe she's in trouble!" 

"Nah, she just went out to dinner, that's all." 

"It doesn't take Hime five hours to eat!" 

"It's only been three and a half. You've been calling for the last two." 

"Um, well, still. Maybe she's in danger." 

"Nah, I think she's just having a good time, that's all. I'll tell her you called." 

"Okay." 

~half an hour later~ 

"Hello?" 

"Nope, still out." 

"Grr… did she say where she went? Did she say who she was with?" 

"No to the first one, some guy in her literature club to the second one." 

Pause. 

"Some guy?" 

"Yeah. Some guy. Didn't catch his name." 

"It's ten thirty, and Hime's out with some guy?" 

"I'll tell her you called." 

~forty-five minutes later~ 

"Fuuuuukoooooo." 

"Still out." 

"What can they be doing?" 

"You can ask her tomorrow." 

"Tell her I called." 

"Okay." 

~ten minutes later~ 

"Hi, Fuuko, I'm home." 

"Recca called for you."

"Oh, I'm sorry I missed his call. I lost track of time again. Did he have anything to say?" 

"No, not really. You wanna call him?" 

"It's almost eleven thirty. I don't want to wake him up." 

"Sounds good. Have a good time?" 

"Fabulous. Fabulous time."

   [1]: mailto:koganeikaoru@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/recca.htm



	5. Default Chapter Title

  

**Haeret Lateri Lethalis Arundo **

**Chapter Five   
[Bottou-chan][1]**

[**My Page**][2]

"…So you only include the rows where the joined fields from both tables are equal," explained Mikagami, clicking and highlighting with the mouse. "So this means that the only records that are returned have matching values in the fields used to join the two tables." 

"Ahhhh," said Domon, nodding vigorously. 

"You don't see," said Mikagami flatly. 

"Um, no. Can you rephrase that?" 

"Gorilla," sniffed Mikagami. 

"I'm paying you to tutor me, not call me names," sniffed Domon, mocking Mikagami's tone. 

"Hey, Domon," interrupted a voice. "Forget that for a moment, I need to talk to you." 

"He's on the clock and the meter's running," said Mikagami, not even bothering to turn around. "Wait until he's not on my time." 

"Hold off, Mikagami, this is important," scowled Recca, dragging up a chair and sitting in it backwards. His arms draped across the chairback, Recca scowled at his two friends. 

"What's wrong, Hanabishi?" asked Domon, looking puzzled. 

"I think Hime's seeing another man," said Recca, raising his eyes to the ceiling melodramatically. "She stays out late, we haven't met up for dinner in ages, and Fuuko says she's always running around and doing things with him." 

"You two had dinner two nights," said Domon, scratching the back of his head. "And then I thought you said you went out to have dinner with that cutie who keeps calling you. That would have been last night." 

"Forget Tomomi," said Recca, dismissing that with a wave of his hand. "She wanted to study English, and it got late, and we decided to have dinner. Her treat." 

"Did you study your English?" asked Mikagami, gazing thoughtfully at Recca. 

His ears reddened. "What are you trying to say?" In a different voice, he began reciting, "The car drove down the highway. The train ran down the tracks. The airplane flew through the sky. The taxi cab had a passenger. The bus stopped at the light. The shop was in the harbor." 

"Ship," corrected Mikagami. "The ship was in the harbor." 

Recca scowled. "Anyhow, we studied. But this isn't about me. This is about Hime. I'm worried—what if she's trying to see another guy?" 

"Has she mentioned anything to you?" asked Domon. "I read in a magazine that when women are on the prowl, they suddenly like having… changes… in their lives. Like for no reason, they'll change their style of dress. Or their haircut. Or their perfume. Or something like that." 

"No, Hime's pretty much Hime," said Recca, pondering. "From what I get from Fuuko, she's really been interested in Shakespeare a lot more recently, and has even tried writing sonnets." 

"Maybe you need to romance Yanagi back," remarked Mikagami. "If she's so interested in this new guy that she spends as much time with him as you say she does, you need to remind her that yes, you exist." 

Recca scowled. "Hime's not going to leave me." 

"But you just said that she—" 

"Forget what I just said. You're not any help." 

"Forget Yanagi," said Mikagami. "Why don't you take your Tomomi out to dinner. If she can run around, so can you. Take her to the Water Gardens. It's a really nice place." 

"She's not my Tomomi. She's just in need of tutoring," insisted Recca. 

Mikagami rolled his eyes. "Please," he said. "Who would ask for a monkey's help?" 

"You just want to get your grubby paws on my Hime," accused Recca, looking challengingly at him. "I thought you got over your crush back in high school." 

Mikagami shook his head. "Actually, I was supposed to go tonight with a girl, but she had to cancel at the last minute. I won a pair of free dinners there by calling in on a radio quiz." He reached into his pocket and handed them over. "I don't want them to go to waste and I didn't think that you'd want to go on a date with me, Hanabishi, but feel free to put them to good use. They're only valid for tonight." 

"Thanks," said Recca, brightening. "I'll go invite Hime!"

* * *

Later that evening, Recca and Tomomi sat across from each other at their table. 

"You look really good," said Tomomi, giving him an appraising look. "That blue shirt does wonders for your eyes." She smiled cheerfully. 

"Um, you look nice, too," said Recca, fidgeting. Even wearing gray slacks and a button-down shirt, he felt uncomfortable and out of his element. He wished Hime had been home to go with him. However, she had been out of the apartment, and Tomomi had stopped by not long after he'd tried to call, and one thing had led to another, and he had ended up asking her out. 

"You say the sweetest things," smiled Tomomi, perusing her menu. "Mm, I might try the stromboli… or perhaps the fettucini. I don't know. Which do you recommend?" 

Recca laughed nervously. "I know 'cheeseburger' and 'roast beef'," he said, pronouncing them in careful English, "But I haven't taken Italian." 

"You're so witty!" 

Recca blushed and grinned. He hadn't been trying to make a joke, but if it she wanted to compliment him—by all means, let her. 

The evening wore on, and they laughed and talked and ate their dinner. Recca was halfway through his chicken alfredo when he heard a familiar laugh coming several tables away. His vision was partly obscured by a potted plant, but by craning his neck just so, he could make out the familiar form of his Hime, looking quite elegant, and smiling in rapt attention at some guy sitting across from her. 

His eyes narrowed. 

_Hime…_

   [1]: mailto:koganeikaoru@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/recca.htm



	6. Default Chapter Title

  

**Haeret Lateri Lethalis Arundo **

**Chapter Six   
[Bottou-chan][1]**

[**My Page**][2]

"Recca, you look very preoccupied," said Tomomi, glancing over in concern. She pulled to a stop in the parking lot of his apartment complex. 

"Mm," answered Recca, staring sightlessly out the car window. His mind was dwelling on Hime and the guy she had been spending time with. It suddenly seemed so much more… real now. He wasn't just an amorphous idea, floating in his mind. He had a form. He had a shape. He had a voice. 

An unfamiliar pang of jealousy had shot through his heart. He hadn't felt so very insecure about Hime since high school. After what they had endured together, there was nothing that could pull them apart. Not even death. And yet—and yet—what was she doing having dinner with this guy? What had happened? 

"You're a million miles away," said Tomomi, looking at him in concern. Her voice softened and she asked, "What's wrong?" 

Recca shook his head. "It's something that I'll have to sort out myself," he said, attempting a smile. 

Tomomi shook her head. "It's what friends are for," she said gently, turning to look at him. He was facing away, though, gazing pensively out the passenger window. "Talk to me." 

Recca shook his head, watching the stars. "It's a personal matter," he said. "I don't want to bother you with it." 

"Maybe I can help," offered Tomomi simply. 

"Sorry," said Recca. "There are some things I can't rely on others for," he explained. 

"Recca," she said, leaning over and tapping him on the shoulder. 

"H'm?" he asked, turning around. Whatever else he was about to say was lost as she closed the last few inches between them, cupped his face in her hands, and pressed her lips to his mouth. 

His eyes widened in shock. For a few moments, he sat there, motionless; then he hesitantly returned the kiss, his hands cautiously on her shoulders, but a few seconds later, he pulled back. 

Tamomi looked questioningly at him, an almost hurt expression on her face. 

"Am I not good enough for you?" she asked, her voice soft, with a bit of tremor attached to the edge. "Don't you like me?" 

"You're nice, Tomomi, but… but… I don't like you… not like that…" said Recca, blushing. He'd only kissed Yanagi, and somehow, Tomomi's lips just felt… wrong. Unfamiliar. The feel of her shoulders, her scent, her very kiss--- so unlike his Hime! Goodness knows what Hime was doing right now… but he didn't want to be guilty of the same thing. Not until Hime had told him officially that it was over, and he had no chance. 

"Of course you like me like that," said Tomomi, tilting her head to one side. 'You just don't want to admit it. You're wrapped around that girl's finger, Recca, and she doesn't deserve you." She leaned forward again, never breaking eye contact. "You need someone who can make you… happy." 

Recca shook his head. "Umm… I'd… I've got to go," he said, falteringly. The excuse sounded horribly fake, even to his own ears. He'd never been one to be easily frightened, but he was very intimidated. Women on the prowl weren't his favorite to deal with. 

"Call me," said Tomomi with a slight pout to her lips. 

"Sure," said Recca. "Dinner was great, and, um, I still think you look really cute." He tried to salvage what dignity he had left. 

She gave him a halfhearted smile. "I'll see you in English class tomorrow," she said, waving at him, and he shut the door.

* * *

"It's two o'clock in the morning, Hanabishi," said Domon, coming stumbling in. 

"You reek of smoke. Where were you?" asked Recca, lying on his stomach on the living room floor. 

"The darts tournament," said Domon, "Over at the Sleepy Bear. Really fun." 

"Did you win?" 

"Nah, I got knocked out second round," said Domon, not looking particularly upset at that. "But a good friend of mine won, so I stuck around to cheer him on." 

"Good for you," said Recca. "Say, what rhymes with 'Hime'?"

* * *

Yanagi took off her coat and hung it in the coat closet. "Hey, Fuuko," she said. "I picked up some ramen at the store, and--- oh! Recca-kun!" She looked at him, startled. "I didn't know you were here!" 

"I have a present for you," said Recca, looking embarrassed. 

"For me?" asked Yanagi, crinkling her brow. "It's not my birthday," she said doubtfully, "And Christmas and Valentine's Day are ages away." 

Recca shook his head. "I just… I just wanted to get you a present. Because I love you," he said, looking at her frankly. He leaned over behind the couch and pulled out a small vase with a red rose in it, and a red envelope. 

Yanagi smiled and took the vase. "It's so very lovely," she said, setting it carefully on the coffee table. "Fuuko will think it's pretty, too." She opened the envelope and extracted a paper. 

Her eyes read over it and filled with tears. "Oh… Recca-kun!" she sobbed, throwing her arms around him. "It's… it's lovely." 

"Read it aloud," said Recca bashfully. 

"You are my hime, my Yanagi Rose;

And you know I'll always fight for you;

Of our love, everybody knows,

I sleep and breathe, eat and die for you.

"How could I ever find another girl

Who's half as sweet and kind and gentle a one?

I could search throughout the whole wide world

But it's a pointless task, as there are none.

"My sweet princess, would you ever leave

Your ninja all alone out in the cold?

To do such things would only make him grieve;

He'd much prefer with you to become old.

"So I wish to be your ninja forever;

And hope nothing our love will ever sever," read Yanagi.

"It's not a very good poem," said Recca, looking even more embarrassed at hearing his private thoughts voiced aloud. "Shakespeare I'm not, but, um, I thought it would make you happy…" 

"It's made me very happy," whispered Yanagi, throwing her arms around his neck one time. "And it's a lovely sonnet. I didn't know you could write them." 

"It took a long time, and Domon helped with some of the rhymes," said Recca, brightening. "And I think my syllables were off on some of them… but I tried. Because it would make you happy." 

"Arigatou, Recca-kun," murmured Yanagi, her arms looped around his neck. 

"See, I was thinking that perhaps I was neglecting you, and not thinking about your feelings, and… I just felt like you had other friends who could offer you what you wanted. More than I could," said Recca awkwardly. "So I wanted to try to reach your level. Because I love you." 

"Recca-kun," said Yanagi, pulling away a few inches and gazing happily into his eyes. "It's not the poem somuch as… as the thought you made the effort to try. For me." She closed her eyes and leaned forward to kiss him. 

And this time, Recca didn't pull away.

* * *

"It looks like they got things worked out," said Fuuko approvingly, stirring her cappuccino in the coffeeshop the next evening. "They're so loveydovey, I have to go to the dentist." But she was smiling her approval. 

"Good to hear it," said Mikagami. "I don't want that monkey to hurt her." 

"What about me?" asked Atshushi, looking rather indignant. "I kind of got to like the girl…" 

Mikagami gave him a freezing look. "If you try to split those two up," he said, leaving the rest to Atshushi's imagination. "Anyhow, you've done your duty." 

"Thanks," said Fuuko. "You really helped." 

"So, am I in?" asked Atshushi, looking hopefully. 

"I'll put in a good word for you," said Mikagami. 

Atshushi closed his eyes blissfully. A good word from Mikagami Tokiya practically ensured his acceptance into the fraternity. 

"It was my pleasure," he said, scooting his chair away. "Can I take those dirty dishes for you?" 

"Mm, I'm done," said Mikagami, and watched him bustle away with the dirty cups. "Toady," he murmured. 

"But he's our toady, Mi-chan," smiled Fuuko. "Admit it, it wouldn't have worked nearly as well if you'd been the one." 

"True," said Mikagami. "Anyhow, I hope we don't have to go through this again anytime soon." 

"I don't think so," said Fuuko. "Knowing those two, it's smooth sailing from now on." 

**FIN**

   [1]: mailto:koganeikaoru@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Dell/2329/recca/recca.htm



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